Electrical distribution system.



P. H. THOMAS.

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION- SYSTEM.

APPLICATION F1LED SEPTA, 1903.

1,1 1 0,583. Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHBET Wi t-M9399 I I I 1 I 1 I I i n l I I I I I I I" I l l l I giu ue wtoz P. H. THOMAS. ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. APPLIOATION'IILED $111 114, 1903.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

P. H. THOMAS. ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTA, 1903. I 1,1 10,583, Patented Sept. 15, 1914. l s SHEETSSHEBT s.

1 I 1 Hu/uMM/g/u/u Q/VUM we a co jg Jwue-Wto a .35 flfl'o'zma-a .1 TED STATES earn PERCY H. THOMAS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNF MENTS, TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, 01? HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A

CORPORATION '015 NEW ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Application filed September 4. 1903. Serial No. 171,881.-

Spccification of Letters Patent.

To all 11:71 0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY H. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, State of positive electrodes and by a lead from an.

intermediate point through a choke coil to the negative electrode.

It is known that devices of the character here indicated have an initial high reluctance at the negative electrode which can be broken down by a current of the proper potential, but which restablishes itself as soon as current ceases to flow in the same direction to the electrode. By the phrase maintaining the negative electrode in an operative condition, as used above, I refer to this characteristic of vapor devices, and mean that current is caused to flow to the negative electrode in the same direction, thereby preventing the reestablishment of the original negative electrode reluctance. Naturally, in supplying currents from an alternating current source to a device of this character, the negative electrode reluctance would reestablish itself at the first alternation, and it is for this reaso that me- .is are provided for maintaining t e negative electrode in operative condition as, for example, by the method described in my application above referred to.

In the present application, it is the purpose to describe a system of circuitsand apparatus whereby comparatively large quantities of energy can be supplied, as demanded, to a work circuit without the necessity of starting the device after the close of any interval. of supply, In this instance, the

particular character of-the gas or vapor de-' rice is that of-af converter occupying an in termediate place between the supply and the work circuit and serving to change alternating into direct currents in the latter circuit.

The results thus indicated may be accomplished by maintaining the negative electrode in operative condition by means independent of the main supply circuit. The independent means may consist of a source of current-having one or more positive electrodes within the vapor device and connected with the negative electrode through an inductance, the negative electrode being common to currents derived from the main source of supply and currents derived from the independent source.

By virtue of the organization herein disclosed, current will pass from the independent source through the negative electrode by wa of the additional positive electrode or electrodes. In this manner the negative electrode will be maintained in operative condition at all times and currents of the proper direction from the main supply circuit will pass through the vapor device to supply the work circuit. It may be con venient at times to obtain the energy for the independent source through any well-known means from the original source of energy,

preferably without electrical connection-between the independent source and the main source of energy.

In using the term in this. specification, I mean a source which may or-may not derive its energy from the main source of supply, but which is independent in the sense that there is no electrical connection between it and the main source. 7

It will be understood that the inductance in the system where it will accomplish the purpose of assisting in keeping the negative electrode operative at all times.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1, '2, 3, 4 and 5, are diagrams representing different organizations of C11- cuits and devices adapted to thecarrying out of my invention.

1 Referring to the firstfigure of the drawings, 1' is a source of energy, here representedns a single phase'alternatmg current above referred to may occupy any position independent source generator. From one side of the generator a conductor, 2, extends to a leading-in wire, 3, which isconnected with a positive electrode, 4, inside the vapor converter, 5. The negative electrode of the converter is shown at 6. This electrode may conveniently be a small mass of mercury. To the electrode 6 is connected a leading-in wire, 7, from which extends one of the wires, 8, of a Work circuit, the other wire being shown at 9. Between the mains of the work circuit I may place any suitable direct current translating devices, 10, 10. e

The opposite side of the generator 1 is connected b a wire, 11, with one side of the work circuit, as 9, and also through the ductance device or choke coil, 18, as shown.-

The secondary thus becomes an independentsource which is connected with additional or supplementary positive electrodes in the converter and is also connected at an intermediate point to the negative electrode.

' Accordingly, impulses set up in the second ary will act alternately upon the converter or a portion thereof, and through the effectof the inductance device, 18, the energy stored during a rise of potential will be discharged during a fall of potential and the negative electrode will then be maintained in operative condition. In other words, the secondary 13 will pass current through a portion of the converter first by Way of one of the supplementary positive electrodes, as 16, then by way of the other positive electrode, as 17, then again by way of the electrode 16, and so on. Inasmuch as the periods of the supply from the two electrodes overlap each other, current does not, at any time, cease to flow in the proper direction to and through the negative electrode 6. 1n this way, the work circuit 8, 3 is supplied with currents of uniform direction, such currents being intermittent in the organiza-' tionillustrated in Fig. 1. That is to say, currents of one direction only pass through the converter 5 from themain positive electrode 4.to the negative electrode 6. By

. reason of the fact that through the action of the independent source, the negative electrode 6 is maintained operative, there will always'be in the converter a condition permitting the passage of current from the mam positive electrode 4 to the negative electrode 6. 1

In Fig. ache source is represented as the its energy from the main source of supply.

For example, a transformer, 20, is utilized for this purpose, its leads, 14 and 15, being connected, respectively, with the supp-lementary positive electrodes 16 and 17. The

choke coil 18 is connected, as before, to the leading-in wire 7, and it is also connected to an intermediate point of the secondary 20. The wire 9 of the work circuit is here connected with an intermediate point of the source 19, the extremities of which arejoined I to two main positive electrodes, 21 and 22, in the converter 5. With this organization, currents from both directions from the source pass'through the converter and are delivered to the work circuit.

In the organization illustrated in Fig. 3, a quarter phase generator, .here illustrated by two transformers, 23 and 24, supplying current at ninety degrees and interconnected at their -middle points, supplies energy to the work circuit through the vapor converter 5. The'negative electrode 6 is maintained in operative condition by means of currents obtained from a three phase generator 25 having its neutral point, 26, connected to the negative electrode 6. The three phase generator is driven by a quarter phase motor, 27, connected to the main supply, as shown. The generator 25 is not illustrated in detail, but merely diagrammatically, there being no novelty about this part of the apparatus. It is evident that in place of the three phase generator 25, a quarter phase or six phase or other suitable generator might be substituted, for keeping the negative electrode in operative condition.

The terminals ofthe three phase generator 25 are, respectively, connected with three supplementary positive electrodes, 28, 29, 30, while the terminals of the main source are connected with four main positive elec-- trodes, 31, 32, 33, and 34. The work cir cuit has one of its sides connected with the neutral point of the main generator and its other side connected with the negative electrode 6.

In Fig. 4, current is supplied to the work circuit 8, 9 by a method which is analogous to that illustrated in Fig. 2. In the organizawork circuit; so that as current naturally falls in the coil' 50, an electro-motive force isproduced in said coil in a direction tending to continue the flow of current. The consequent electro-motive-force in the winding acts upon a circuit including a supplementary positive electrode, 36, in the converter so as to pass current through a portion ofthe converter in the proper direction to maintain the negative electrode operative. By properly proportioning the coils 35 the current supplied by the coil 35 will continue until the alternating current supply furnished by the source 19 again causes a rising current to pass through the main work circuit.

In Fig. 5, a method of operation is illustrated which is similar in some respcts to that shown in ,Fig. 1. The independent source is here shown, however,v as a secondary of a transformer, and a separatefcoil, 37, is used, this C011 beingw wound. on the same core with the transformer supplying the alternating currents.

It Will be a matter of convenience to (Ice scribe the combined supply and'work -cir-- cuits as a single circuit which 'may;befre gardcd as a transmission circuit -:Thecircu1t of the independent source then'ihecpmesz a. second circuit as regards the translrnssionf circuit.

December 4,1903, Serial Number 183,696, claims are made upon the apparatus described herein. a

I claim as my inventiona 1. In a system of electrical distribution in which currents from an alternating source are rectified for use in a direct current work circuit through the agency of a vapor electric rectifier comprising an exhausted container, a plurality of anodes and a cathode therein, the method of sustaining the activitv of the cathode and maintaining the rectifier in operative condition independently of work currents, which consists in rectifying a limited quantity of energy from the source within the container independently of the work currents and passing the direct currents thus produced through the cathode of the work currents.-

2. In a system of electrical distribution in which currents from an alternating source are rectified for use in a directcurrent work circuit through the agency of a vapor electric rectifier comprising an exhausted container, a plurality of 'anodes and a cathode therein, the method of sus taining the activity of the cathode and maintaining the rectifier in operative con:

dition independen 1y of work currents, which consists in deriving energy from a source of alternating potential, transforming this energy to produce alternating electric current which is electrically independent of the work current, rectifying the 50 and electrically independent energy so derived within the main container and passing the rectified current through the main cathode .whereby this cathode is maintained in active condition 3. In asystem of electrical distribution,

'the combination with, a vapor converter having a negative electrode and a plurality of positive electrodes, or sets of positive electrodes, of two electric circuits both connected to the negative electrode and each connected with a separate positive electrode 'or set of positive electrodes, one of the said circuits constituting the transmission ciricuit and the other being" connected with an alternating source and means including said vapor ous flow of current fromsaid last named circuit.

4. In a system of electrical distribution,

a transmission circuit including a vapor converter having a negative electrode and a plurality of positive electrodes, in combination with means for keeping the negative electrode in operative condition, such means consisting of an independent alternating current source, in combination with means for rectifying current from said last named f sc-urce in the said vapor rectifier. r g Y 5. The combination with a vapor con- In a dlvlsional application filed by meon verter, of a supply circuit, and a work circonverter for maintaining a contmucuit between which the converter acts as a transmitting mediumfand an independent 7 c rcuit includlng an alternating source,

pconverter having a negat1ve electrode comthe men to the work circuit and the independent circuit, and having a plurality of positive electrodes for each ofthe said circuits.

6. In a system of electrical distribution,

an alternating current supply circuit, a direct current Work circuit, and a gas or vapor converter interposed between the said circuits, in combination with an independent alternating current circuit and means for rectifying current from both said circuits in said vapor converter.

-7. In a system of electrical distribution, an alternating current source, a direct current work circuit, a gas or'vanor converter interposed between the work circuit and the said source, the said converter being provided with main positive electrodes and a common negative electrode, in combination with an independent source also connected to the negative electrode and provided with a plurality of supplementary positive electro es.

8. In a system of electrical distribution,

the combination with a rectifier comprising an exhausted container, a cathode-and at least one anode therein, a main alternating supply and a direct current receiving circuit therefor, of a second source of alternating current, connections from the terminals of said source to separate anodes in said container and a connection from an intermediate point of said source through an inductance to said cathode.

9. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with a rectifier comprising an exhausted container, a cathode, at least one main anode and supplemental anodes therein, an alternating supply and a direct current receiving circuit, of means for ex citing said rectifier independently of work currents therein, said means comprising a second source of alternating current connected to said supplemental anodes and at an intermediate point through an inductance to said cathode.

310. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with a rectifier comprising an exhausted container, a cathode, at least one main anode and supplemental anodes therein, an alternating supply and a direct current receiving circuit, of means for exciting said rectifier independently of work current receiving circuit, of means for ex- 'citing said rectifier independently of work currents thereln, said means conslstlng of means for withdrawing energy from saId 1,11o,5sa

supply independent of them work currents .said withdrawn energy.

12. In a system of electrical distribution I in which a direct current work circuit is fed from a rectifier comprising an exhausted container, at least one main anode and a cathode therein, means for maintaining the excitation of said rectifier at times when no current is drawn by the work circuit, said means consisting of supplemental anodes in said container and means for' continuously supplying energy from said main source through said supplemental anodes to said cathode.

13. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with a rectifier comprising an exhausted container, a cathode. a main anode therefor, and a plurality of supplemental anodes therein, an alternating supply and a direct currentwork circuit, of means for supplying overlapping impulses of current through said supplemental anodes to said cathode independently of current in said main anodes.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 27th day of August. A. D. 1903.

- PERCY' H. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, Tnos. H. BRowN, Jr 

